If you’re a small business owner looking to grow, using social media advertising services is your best bet to reach your target audience and convert them into customers.
The question is, which social media platforms do you advertise on? People often make a silly mistake when looking for the best social media app to advertise on. They follow the stats blindly and pick the most popular one. The right platform depends on your specific goals, audience, and budget.
For example, Facebook is great for running targeted ads. LinkedIn works well for B2B companies. If you’re looking to target a younger audience, TikTok is the right choice.
Understanding these differences is key to making smart advertising choices. Let us help you find the best social media platform for your business.
Here are the most popular social media platforms with millions of monthly active users. These are the top social media apps for marketing and lead-generation ads in 2024.
| Rank | Social Media Platform | Monthly Active Users (MAUs) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.06 billion | Global reach, social networking, advertising powerhouse | |
| 2 | 2.35 billion | Visual content, influencer marketing | |
| 3 | TikTok | 1.67 billion | Short form video, high engagement with younger audiences |
| 4 | YouTube | 2.70 billion | Video content and search, dominant for creators |
| 5 | 310 million | Professional networking, job search, industry content | |
| 6 | Snapchat | 800 million | Ephemeral content, AR experiences, younger audience focus |
| 7 | 518 million | Visual discovery engine, lifestyle, and e-commerce content | |
| 8 | 430 million | Niche communities, strong engagement through forums | |
| 9 | 2.40 billion | Messaging, business communication tools | |
| 10 | X (Twitter) | 600 million | Real-time discussions, rebranding from Twitter to focus on broader social and financial services |
| 11 | 1.31 billion | Comprehensive app for messaging, social media, and payments | |
| 12 | Messenger | 1.10 billion | Messaging platform with business features |
| 13 | Telegram | 900 million | Privacy-focused messaging, strong communities, and channels |
| 14 | Douyin | 752 million | Chinese version of TikTok, short form video dominance in China |
| 15 | Baidu | 676 million | Search engine and social/video platform integration |
| 16 | Qzone | 615 million | Social networking in China, blogging, photos, music |
| 17 | Spotify | 602 million | Music streaming with social features |
| 18 | Sina Weibo | 588 million | Microblogging platform popular in China |
| 19 | Kuaishou | 370 million | Short form video, competitor to Douyin in China |
| 20 | Bilibili | 336 million | Gaming, anime, niche content, strong community engagement |
| 21 | Microsoft Teams | 320 million | Collaboration tool with group chats, video interaction |
| 22 | Quora | 305 million | Knowledge sharing through a Q&A format |
| 23 | Discord | 200 million | Private communities, strong in gaming and expanding to other niches |
| 24 | Medium | 100 million | Blogging and thought leadership platform |
| 25 | VK (Vkontakte) | 80 million | Largest social network in Russia, multimedia content and messaging |
Here are our top 10 picks for social media platforms in 2024. We have generated over $304 million for our clients through ads and marketing strategies on these social media apps.
1. Facebook – 3.06 Billion MAUs
Facebook has one of the most advanced social media sites with the largest audience database. So it is an ideal place to start if you’re a small business looking to grow through social advertising.
Not all ad platforms have the same extensive targeting options and capabilities. Some agencies specialize in Facebook advertising services, which can improve your ROI even further.
Smart Targeting
With Facebook, you can target different groups of people effectively. You can reach a cold audience—those who haven’t heard of your brand—by targeting interests, behaviors, and demographics.
Want to know the best part? You can also retarget a warm audience—people who know your brand—to encourage them to buy again. This helps you communicate with your audience better as they move through your sales funnel.
Facebook Ad Options
Facebook offers many types of ads to help you meet your marketing goals. Some Facebook ad campaigns optimize for engagement and video views, while others optimize for on-Facebook leads and others optimize for website sales or website leads.
Here are different types of ad options available on Facebook; you can choose the one that works best for your ad campaign objectives.
- Image and Video Ads: These are simple formats that show your products or services.
- Story Ads: Full-screen ads on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. These last longer than typical stories.
- Carousel Ads: It lets you show multiple images or videos in one post, each with its own link.
- Slideshow Ads: Quick ads that use several images or a video to increase the engagement rate.
- Collection Ads: Mobile-friendly ads that showcase products in a neat layout.
- Messenger Ads: These ads are shown in the messaging app. It provides detailed information about your products to ideal customers.
- Playable Ads: Interactive ads for mobile app that let users try the service/product before they buy.
Cost For Facebook Ads
Facebook is a budget-friendly option despite how large a platform it is. The average Cost-Per-Click (CPC) for Facebook ads is $1.68, and the Cost-Per-Mille (CPM) is $8.70 in the US.
2. Instagram – 2.35 Billion MAUs
Instagram is another growing social media app owned by Meta so Instagram ads are set up using Facebook’s ads manager. This means the features available on Facebook are extended to your audience on Instagram as well.
Plus, Instagram has over 2 billion users, making it easy for most businesses of any industry to locate their audience on there too.
Cost Of Advertising
Instagram offers excellent value. Its cost per click typically falls within the range of $0.40 to $0.70. Ads with a destination URL cost up to $0.50 to $0.95. Instagram ads can be great for businesses advertising a visual product or service.
Types of Instagram Ads
- Reels Ads: Instagram (and Facebook) also have Reels ads, the vertical short video ads that have become so effective for small businesses and have no signs of slowing down.
- Collection ads: The platform offers immersive full-screen formats for mobile devices, including Collection ads that let users browse and buy products directly from their phones.
- Explore Page Ads: You can also place ads on Instagram’s Explore page, where users discover new content.
- Sticker Ads: If you’re looking for interactive ads, Instagram offers polling sticker ads as well.
3. TikTok – 1.67 Billion MAUs
TikTok lets businesses reach more customers at a low cost. Its short-form videos and viral trends drive high engagement and CTR which can lead to more conversions.
Why TikTok Ads Work
TikTok has one of the highest engagement rates among social platforms so users are more likely to interact with your ads.
Since it is a great platform for organic growth, it can be explosive for businesses that invest in ads.
The platform is known for attracting younger users, but Millennials, Gen X users, and older all use the platform a considerable amount as well.
Key Features
- In-Feed Ads: These ads blend in with user content, making them less intrusive and more engaging.
- Hashtag Challenges: They increase user participation and user-generated content helps you go viral fast.
- Behavioral Targeting: TikTok ads manager lets you target specific audiences based on their interests, behaviors, and location.
You can use these strategies to run successful TikTok ad campaigns.
- Focus on Fun Content: Ads that match TikTok’s fun and creative vibe work best so avoid making them too promotional.
- Use Trending Challenges: Join or create branded challenges to increase visibility.
- Grab Attention Fast: Make your ads short, clear, and visually appealing to capture attention quickly.
4. YouTube – 2.70 Billion MAUs
If TikTok is king of short form content, YouTube leads in long form content. It helps you reach a bigger audience to advertise products, services, or brand messages.
We can help you go big on YouTube ads using video marketing. This social media app is best for longer format videos for detailed information or entertainment.
The best thing about YouTube is its audience; YouTube has users of all demographics and lets you target niche markets by content categories.
Best Practices for YouTube Ads
- TrueView Ads: These skippable ads let users choose to engage, which can lead to better engagement and ROI. Make sure the first few seconds are captivating to grab the attention of the audience.
- Optimize for Mobile: Make your videos mobile-friendly. The content should be engaging and easy to follow, even on smaller screens.
- Engaging Content: Focus on videos that entertain, educate, or solve problems for your audience. Product demos, tutorials, and customer stories perform well on YouTube.
- Targeting Options: Use YouTube’s targeted ads to reach specific audiences.
- YouTube Analytics: Track the ad performance with YouTube analytics. This data helps fine-tune campaigns and identify which videos are performing the best.
5. LinkedIn – 310 Million MAUs
LinkedIn is a great social media app for those looking for candidates to hire and/or those wanting to target specific job titles.
It’s fifth on our list because Facebook allows you to target by job titles as well, and arguably anybody who is on LinkedIn is probably also on Facebook (and cheaper to find and target on Facebook).
However, because of the B2B nature of LinkedIn, you can sometimes find more niche job positions to target on this advertising platform than you would on Facebook.
So, depending on the nature of your business or the goal for your ads, LinkedIn can prove to be the better option for some companies.
6. Snapchat – 800 Million MAUs
Snapchat is popular among Gen Z and Millennials, providing a unique opportunity to connect with a hard-to-reach demographic that traditional platforms often miss. Its active user base makes it an ideal platform for targeting young people.
Snapchat’s focus on disappearing content creates urgency and encourages faster engagement. It was also the first platform to use AR in social media ads. Snapchat’s filters and lenses allow businesses to create interactive and engaging content.
Unique Opportunities on Snapchat
Snap ads are full-screen vertical video ads that appear between Stories and in the Discover section. They are short, engaging, and allow users to swipe up for more content, like a website or app download.
- Story Ads: Snapchat story ads are a branded title in the Discover section. Users can click it to watch a series of ads that feel like organic content.
- AR Lenses: One of Snapchat’s standout features is the AR Lenses. It lets brands create interactive, branded experiences. Users can engage with products virtually, trying them out via their camera in a fun and memorable way.
- Filters: They allow users to add branded overlays to their Snaps. This feature is great for local businesses that want to target users in a specific geographic area.
7. Pinterest – 518 Million MAUs
Pinterest is a great social media site, especially for e-commerce store owners. It also doubles as a social media app and a search engine.
Users go on Pinterest and search for the exact things they want to see: outfit ideas, travel guides, home decor, etc.
If you sell a product or service that’s highly searched for, you can pay for your aesthetic, beautiful ad to appear on the Pinterest feed for those relevant searches with Pinterest ads.
While Pinterest is smaller with 518 million users, the nature of the platform allows for the perfect blend of keyword search ads and social media site.
So, you can ensure your ads are appearing when it counts: when the user is typing in a high-intent search.
Creative Ad Formats Pinterest Supports
Apart from the standard video, carousel, and collection ads, Pinterest supports the following ad formats:
- Shopping Ads: They turn product Pins into ads that can direct the audience straight to your landing page to complete the purchase.
- Quiz Ads: They are a fun way to boost engagement with interactive quizzes. You can include up to three questions and show customized results based on different quiz answers.
- Showcase Ads: Showcase ads include a title Pin and multiple swipeable cards, each linking to your site.
8. Reddit – 430 Million MAUs
If you want to advertise to a specific community, for example, software engineers, Reddit is the right place. It has subreddits that focus on different topics.
You can target people based on their interests using specific subreddits. This way the ads feel more like part of the conversation, which helps users trust your brand.
Tips To Ace Reddit
Reddit works best when you build trust and engage genuinely with users. For successful Reddit ads, focus on adding value to the discussions and avoid being overly promotional.
Reddit users prefer honest, straightforward communication. So this platform is ideal for creating brand loyalty through real conversations.
Reddit offers two ad options: Promoted posts and Display ads. Both aim to spark interaction.
No matter what you choose, if you stick to our tips, you’ll get good value.
9. WhatsApp – 2.40 Billion MAUs
WhatsApp is great for businesses looking to connect directly with customers. With WhatsApp business, you can send personalized messages, updates, and order notifications.
It also supports click-to-chat ads, where users can click an ad and start a chat with your brand. If you want to provide customer support and build trust, try WhatsApp. Its one-on-one conversations are the best solution.
While WhatsApp doesn’t offer traditional display ads, it focuses on personal communication which helps in customer retention.
10. X (Twitter) – 600 Million MAUs
X, formally known as Twitter, is one of the smallest platforms on this list with 600 million users, and its engagement rates tend to be lower.
We would recommend exploring one of the other advertising platforms listed above before venturing to advertise on X (Twitter), as it is not known for providing the biggest returns.
However, if you already have a big existing following on Twitter or if it benefits your business to be a part of current conversations, then it may be worth advertising on the platform.
Know Your Audience
The first step to effective advertising on social media is to understand your target market. For example, if you’re selling clothes, you should know what motivates them to buy: is it price, quality, or size inclusivity? Each platform attracts different groups of people.
You need to target the platform where your audience spends their time. So, before you start social media advertising, research your audience.
Look at their age, gender, location, and interests. You also want to look into their behavioral habits on the platform. For example, LinkedIn is best for professionals and B2B social media marketing.
You can study your audience by looking at your competitor’s stats. Focus on competitors with a shared target market, and use social media analytics to see what keeps the audience engaged.
Match Your Content Style to the Platform
Different types of content perform differently from platform to platform. If you post the right content on the right platform, your chances of success increase.
A YouTube video won’t perform as well on X (Twitter). For best results, you need to post what gets the highest engagement on each platform.
Consider Your Objectives: Awareness, Engagement, or Conversions
Before jumping on a certain platform, you need to have clear marketing goals. What is it that you want? Increased brand awareness, higher customer engagement, or increased conversions?
Platform Strengths for Each Objective
- Brand Awareness: Instagram and Facebook work best for reaching a large audience.
- Customer Engagement: TikTok offers the best customer engagement. Instagram Stories and polls can also keep followers engaged. X (Twitter) is great for real-time interactions.
- Conversions: Facebook is best for getting conversions for any industry. For B2B, LinkedIn and YouTube ads are a good option.
Examples of Platform-Goal Alignment
- Facebook: Excellent for targeted ads and retargeting audiences.
- Instagram: Use for brand awareness through stunning visuals and engaging stories.
- LinkedIn: Focus on lead generation and B2B conversions.
- YouTube: Ideal for driving conversions with targeted ads placed in relevant content.
- TikTok: Best for viral engagement and audience interaction
Budget Matters: Evaluating Cost and ROI on Each Platform
Different platforms come with different advertising costs. Smaller businesses with a bigger audience should use Facebook and Instagram.
These platforms are owned by the same parent company, Meta. It offers flexibility with the budget. This way you can start with a low spend and still reach a bigger audience.
We also recommend having conversion tracking set up to help you identify the high-performing ads. Tools like Facebook ads manager and LinkedIn campaign manager let you check your ad spend and ROI.
Here are some of the popular platforms with the return on ad spend (ROAS) they offer on average.
- Facebook — 6.8
- Instagram — 4.1
- YouTube — 5.2
- TikTok — 3.9
- LinkedIn — 4.9
- X (Twitter) — 3.3
- Snapchat — 3.2
- Pinterest — 2.6
Don’t Overlook Emerging or Niche Platforms
It’s not a good idea to follow the stats blindly and solely choose a platform based on monthly active users. Sometimes you need to look for emerging platforms. TikTok is the best example of this. It offers unique opportunities.TikTok is your best bet to connect with younger audiences through viral trends and short video content.
Niche platforms are also great for reaching a specific target audience. Pinterest and Reddit rock here. Use these platforms to reach niche communities that are interested in specific topics or products.
Less saturated markets on these platforms can give your brand an edge.
FAQs
What are the 4 most popular social media platforms?
The 4 most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
What is the best social media platform?
The best social media platform is Facebook. It has advanced targeting options to reach specific audiences, making it ideal for driving conversions and reaching the right people with your message.
Which are the major social media platforms?
The major social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Each has billions of monthly active users (MAUs), with Facebook leading at over 3.06 billion MAUs.
What is the next social media platform in 2024?
TikTok could continue to grow and become the leading social media platform in 2024 if it maintains its recent growth rate. However, currently, Facebook still holds the top spot.
Which social media platform is the best?
The best social media platform depends on your goals and audience. If you want broad reach and powerful targeting, Facebook is a top choice. For visual content, Instagram excels. If you’re targeting younger users, consider TikTok.
What is the #1 most used social media?
As of now, Facebook is the #1 social media app. It has over 3 billion monthly active users and offers robust advertising features. It allows you to connect with a wide audience effectively.
Which social media is most used in 2024?
Facebook is the most used social media site in 2024. Its diverse user base and extensive ad capabilities make it a go-to option for businesses aiming to reach various demographics.
What is the fastest growing social media platform?
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform. Its engaging short form videos attract a younger audience and create high levels of interaction. Brands are increasingly using TikTok to connect with this demographic.
What is the most effective platform to advertise on?
Facebook is generally the most effective platform for advertising. It delivers the highest return on ad spend (ROAS) compared to other social media platforms. It is the ideal place to kick things off for small businesses.
Which social media platform pays the most for ads?
YouTube pays the most for ads with its strong monetization model for creators. It includes ad revenue, channel memberships, and Super Chats. The Creator Fund of TikTok also pays between 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views. So it is suitable for creators who can generate viral content and attract millions of views.
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